A Challenge, An Intro & A Count

You may have noticed a new banner over there to the right....right under my profile....touting the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  The UBC, as I will be calling it from now on to save wear and tear on my fingers and keyboard, is a month-long challenge/blog hop that takes place once every quarter and goes along with the changes you are seeing and will continue to see around here.



I've heard of the UBC before, but this is the first time I've signed up to participate.  It's not going to be easy since I'm heading to Tennessee for four days next week and then will be on vacation July 20 - 27.  I'm not sure that WiFi will be available in either location, so I will be doing my best to get posts written before hand and schedule them to post in my absence.  Scheduling posts has never gone well here on Blogger.  Actually, it's never gone at all.  I've tried.  The posts never got published.  That brings me to the big change...

In the near future A Life Lived Well will be moving to Wordpress.  My sweet and very talented blog friend, Beth (you really should pay her a visit...she is a fabulous writer), who, by the way, designed my blog's present look, is working on a new look and the switch.  She understands and LIKES all that technical stuff that makes my eyes go crossed and my head spin.  As soon as we (mostly she) get it ready you'll be directed over there.  It's pretty exciting stuff.  The blog's going to have its own domain name and everything! (That means it's going to be a dot.com....I didn't know, either.)

With all the changes going on and new visitors coming in from the UBC, I thought I'd take a minute to tell you a little bit about me and who I am.  I apologize if you're one of my handful of loyal readers who already knows me well.

Let's start with the obvious....

Photo Source

My name is Stacy.  It's nice to meet you.  I work as a school bus driver, which explains all the free time I have to play with my blog during the summer.  I've been married to Tim, a project superintendent for a commercial construction company, for 28 years (29 in November).  We have two adult children.  Our son, Matt, is 26, married, and has two children of his own.  Megan, our daughter, is 24 days from turning 21.  She is still living at home with us, though by living at home, I mean we see her as she passes through on her way out and on her way in to bed.

I'm not so sure I want to keep doing the bus driving thing and I'm keeping my eyes open this summer in case anything else pops up.  It's a tough sell.  I may not enjoy the constant driving (especially on winter roads) but it does pay well for a part-time job, I don't have to work nights, weekends or holidays, and I do have the whole summer off.

My Christian faith is probably the next thing you should know about me.  I do often write posts about Christian issues and everything else I try to run through that filter.  I do try to avoid being preachy in the regular stuff and well, if the flat-out Christian posts aren't your cup of tea, you can always skip those.

Maybe I should just sum it up by saying I'm probably a liberal's worst nightmare.  I am conservative, a Bible-believing Christian, I LOVE THIS COUNTRY, I'm pro-gun rights, anti-abortion, and no (let's just get this out and over with), I don't support gay marriage.  I believe our government is out of control and is selling us down the river at a frightening speed.

This is NOT me!
source

Now, before you put me in a category (redneck, racist, wacko, Bible-thumper....am I getting warm?) take the time to get to know me.  What you will find is someone who loves God....and therefore tries to practice that love thy neighbor thing.  I believe it's more than possible to love and get along with someone without compromising my values.  I try to avoid getting on my soapbox too much on here and when I do, I welcome thoughtful discussion from all points of view and promise you I will not continue to beat a dead horse.  I know that on some things we just have to agree to disagree.

Okay, we've gone over the big (and scary) stuff.  What else can I tell you?  I'm a bookaholic.  I currently have 5 bookcases filled to overflowing with books, a NOOK that is filling up rapidly, and there are still piles of books all over the place.  I like to cook (but not to clean up the mess), travel, walk along the beach, swing on a porch swing, write, garden, and listen to country music.  I don't drink coffee, but have to have a Coke in the morning.  Flea markets, auctions, yard, and garage sales excite me!  I like to live with color (my living room is painted pumpkin orange!).  I am NOT a domestic goddess, so don't expect to find housekeeping tips.

Bottom line....I'm human, I make mistakes, and I'm trying to figure this life out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I join in a little thing around here on Mondays called Multitudes on Monday with Ann Voskamp, author of the best-selling book One Thousand Gifts.  It's all about being grateful for the things in our lives...the big and the small.  It's about finding God's blessings in everything.  Even the bad times.  So, every Monday you will find me counting.

131.  Meeting friends for breakfast on a Sunday morning.

132.  Having exactly what is needed, when there doesn't seem to be any way possible.

133.  A life leisurely enough to allow for blogging.

134.  Friends with skills and a willingness to help.

135.  An older gentleman at the garden center who told of losing his wife 14 months ago and shared the story of their 65 years together.

136.  A husband who shares my dreams.

137.  Summer rain drumming on the roof.

138.  The curious little dog who likes to play, play, play!  And the big dog that likes to sleep, sleep, sleep!

139.  The lush, green-ness after the rain.

140.  A husband who may not have to work on July 4 after all.

Visit A Holy Experience

The Dream Team

It seems the summer slump has begun.  Bloggers all over the blogosphere are going on vacations or taking breaks to deal with the increased activity of summer living.  Good for them, bad for me as my life slows down in the summer.  I NEED your memes people!  Without you I'm going to have to get creative and that may or may not be a good thing.

The Wednesday Hodgepodge is among the missing this week so I've put on my thinking cap and done some scrounging around and decided to throw a question out to all of you (that would be the 2 or 3 of you who actually read the drivel I produce) to answer....and I'll answer it, too.

In a fantasy world, forget spouses and loves, if you could fall in love with a movie or television character, name 5 you would choose.  The characters, NOT the actors.

Me?

1. Johnny Castle from the movie Dirty Dancing.  He had that whole bad-boy vibe going on while really being a good guy and let's face it....when Dirty Dancing hit the big screen, there was nobody hotter or more exciting.

Picture Source

2. Jase Robertson.  Yeah, he's a real person, but he is on television and he is a character.  I love the values he and his family have.  I think he's hilarious and would be a lot of fun.  And the beard doesn't bother me.

Picture Source

3. Leo from the movie The Vow.  To have a man who loves you that much, who goes to such lengths, who even lets you go when it's what you ask for, even though it's breaking his heart......sigh.

Picture Source

4. Booth on the television show Bones.  He's smart, funny, brave, devoted to the ones he loves and cares about, has great morals and values, carries a gun, and looks amazing in a suit.







Okay, it took me a minute to figure out how to fit him in to the list, but.....

Picture Source

5. Bo Price from the movie Broken Bridges.  Bo is the hometown boy who made it big at the expense of people who loved him back home.  When he goes home due to an event that has devastated the town, it's as a bit of a has-been. He finds out some things he never knew (like he has a nearly grown daughter) and he sets about making amends, doing right by people and turning his life around.  All while singing like a champ and looking hot.



And there you have it....my dream team.

My Introduction to the Sunday Social

Saw this meme over on Beth's blog, Masterpiece and we all know I love a good meme.....goes back to high school and those notes my friends and I passed back and forth filled with questions and multiple answers and  maybe the quizzes in Seventeen magazine.  Anyhoo...the meme is courtesy of Ashley, whose blog is new to me.  I am going to be a fan....bless her country music lovin' heart

1.  How did you come up with your blog name?
I had gone through a spiritual drought following a really bad experience in a church.  Closing out my old blog and starting this one was symbolic of the changes I wanted to make and was making.  I wanted it to be a positive place, a reflection of my reawakened faith, the changes in my life and my appreciation of those things...of my desire to be able to look at my life and be content that I lived it well.

2.  What is your favorite thing about blogging?
The people.  I've made some good friends through blogging, some I've met in person and some I may never meet and yet they are among my closest friends.  I also admit that I love the comments and feel sad when a post doesn't get any.  It's like you don't love me!

3.  What is one thing you have discovered because of blogging and now can't live without?
Facebook.  It's true.  A blogging friend led me to the dark side and I've never looked back.  So many of my classmates from high school are on there and my sorority sisters from college and complete strangers, who are now friends.  And the instant responses are my addiction....so much so that I refer to Facebook as Crackbook.  I have connected with family I otherwise wouldn't be in touch with.  I manage our church's page and one for my blog in addition to my personal page.  I can't imagine life without it!

4.  Facebook or Twitter?  and why?
Uh, I think I just answered that one in the previous question.  Why?  I just don't get Twitter.  I have an account and I tweet my blog posts and something else once in a while, but trying to keep up with what other people are tweeting could be a full time job.  I don't enjoy it.

5.  If one celeb read your blog who would you want it to be?
I would absolutely SWOON if Toby Keith read it and left a comment!  It would be pretty cool, too, if one of my favorite authors or a major blogger noticed my little corner of the blogosphere.  Or any of the guys from Duck Dynasty.  Love them.

6.  What is something you want people to know about your blog?
I guess that what you see is what you get.  It's just me sharing what's on my mind, what I find interesting, what God's saying to me....so there really isn't a theme or anything going on and everyone is welcome as long as they aren't rude or threatening.

Saturday Share - June 8, 2013

There's nothing much going on around here today.  Tim is, as usual, working on the church building.  I've got taco salad to make for the dinner after church services tonight, but other than that....  Love it!

Before I put up this week's shares, I've got a question for you.  I'm getting my hair straightened and colored again next Friday.  I'm thinking about getting it cut, too.  Right now I'm not sure what's going to happen with the color...they lost my card so we get to "reformulate."  Could be fun...I'm open to change.  As far as cuts go, I've got two styles in mind right now.

My hair is a little longer than the blonde's, but currently without all the layers.  Thoughts?  Opinions?

Okay on with this week's links.  I've got some good ones for you this week, but then I say that every week.

The Barnyard Bistro is a new food blog launched just this week.  It's author is none other than Krystal Keith, daughter of my favorite country crooner, Toby Keith.  So far it is looking delish!

Mary Anne blogs at Forever 51.  The tag line is You think it.  I say it.  Life in a hormonal household.  I honestly LOL'ed as I read.  This lady is FUNNY.

Melanie at Only a Breath shares how to make money with your blog....and it sounds so much easier than other advice I've heard or read.  I like that.  I am all about easy.

Crystal, the Money Saving Mom, shares why she thinks you should break the blogging rules.  A great read for anyone thinking of starting a blog or for those with smaller blogs.

Do you want to get free books?  Do you know a lot publishers will give you books for free in exchange for reviews on your blog?  If you have the time to read and do the reviews it's a sweet deal.  There are a lot of publishers and distributors out there so do a search and see what you can find.  To get you started, check out Tyndale House.

Amy Henry talks of finding peace during the Oklahoma storms by focusing on her eternal home.

Pinterest pin(s) of the week:

Click here to see the recipe for these amazing blackberry pie bars.

Okay, this one's just for fun.  I am a shameless
fan of Grumpy Cat's cute grumpiness.  

Have a blessed weekend!

Hello Summer...Let the Ponderings Roll

Well, it's day one of my summer vacation...which is sort of like New Years for me, in that it's time to make some resolutions.  With my days mainly free and uninterrupted by a pesky (but necessary) job, I can focus more on things that need doing.  On the top of the list is me.  I have gotten into the lazy habit of eating foods that are not so healthy over this past school year and the bum knee (I've fallen and twisted it TWICE in the last 4 months) has put a crimp in any kind of exercise.

I was going to post this in my poor neglected health blog, but after a lot of consideration I've decided I'm going to delete both it and my book blog.  It's too much to expect people to keep up with more than one blog, I think.  Pfffft!  It's too much for me to keep up three blogs.  Anyway, any diet, exercise or book posts will be on the main blog.  I'm going to be doing some rearranging and housekeeping around here in the coming days.

Getting back to those "resolutions"....

For starters, I got up this morning and spent some time reading the Bible and praying, which always makes the day go better.  It's unfortunate that on work days it's hard to fit it in until after the morning run.  After that I drug out and dusted off my Perfect Planner.  I was so excited to start the year off with it back in January, but just like the prayer time...it was hard to squeeze in first thing in the day and if it didn't get done then it didn't seem to get done at all.  Getting just those two things done makes me feel so accomplished.  Not to mention...Intentional, which you'll remember is my One Word for 2013.

With my To-Do List written out in my planner...I have a plan for the day.  It's already out of order because of rain (I wanted to weed the flower beds and plant some flowers) and my daughter getting in late (or rather early this morning) and still being in bed.  I want her help in totally emptying out the frig and freezer, scrubbing them and putting everything back in an organized fashion...which, yes, I am aware will last only until the first person goes looking for something, but I will feel better.  It's been making me feel stressed.  Blogging wasn't to come until later in the day, but hey, lists are adaptable and not written in stone.  Just so I actually accomplish some of the things on it, I'll be good with that.

Diet is next on my list of resolutions.  We've been doing a lot of eating out.  That's going to stop.  For two reasons.  Health and finances.  The best part of summer is the abundance of fresh fruits and veggies.  I'm determined to whip our diets into shape.  My daughter has lost 40 pounds.  I'm not sure how she's done it.  She does not eat healthy and other than a few walks here and there I don't see her exercise.  Sigh...I wish it would melt off of me that easily.  It doesn't, so my plan aside from not eating out as much, is to shop the perimeter of the store (dairy, produce, meats) and skip as much of the interior aisles (processed foods) as possible, cut waaaay back on my daily Coke (the soda not the drug) habit and drink water and tea instead, find healthier ways to prepare favorite dishes and of course....

Exercise.  With the weather warming up our pool is now open...and as soon as the water warms up, too, I will be in there daily swimming and doing some other exercises that will be kind to my knee.  I'm going to give the exercise bike a go this morning.  Not sure if the knee is up to it, but I won't know till I try.  As soon as it's healed enough I'm dragging out the Fluidity Bar and getting back into that.  It's very gentle, but really works you out.  I'm hoping the knee heals quickly.

So, there's my summer plan.  I just wish I had gotten motivated sooner.  Next weekend is the Toby Keith concert...at least I'm not seeing him face to face this year...and I have two trips coming up next month.  One to Tennessee for training to teach Kay Arthur's Precept Bible Studies and the second to the beach.  There's no way I'm going to be a beach babe by then, but I can at least jiggle less.

I'm keeping in mind the words of Romans 12:1 -

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

glitter-graphics.com

Before I go hit that list there's time for a little Pondering with Brenda.  

This week's prompt:  roll

In our house, the most important roll.....is the toilet paper roll.  Not much attention is paid to the lowly TP roll, until it's not there when needed.  Fear of just such a situation has made me a TP hoarder.  There is always a stockpile in this house.  And be honest, if the zombie apocalypse strikes tomorrow you know we're all going to be making a run to the grocery store for milk, bread, eggs, and toilet paper.  It's the American way of coping with disaster!

There's no arguing here about the over or under question.  We all agree that over is the way to go.  Not that it would matter since I seem to be the only person in the house with an understanding of how to work the holder and put a new roll on.  If I have to do it, it obviously goes my way.

My pet peeve these days is that the price of the rolls continues to climb, while the size of the rolls is shrinking...though they've renamed many of the sizes to make them sound bigger.  I'm sorry.  I don't care if you call it Double, Mega, or Jumbo....250 sheets is still 250 sheets.  The shrinking size and rising cost have me wondering if Sears has any plans to bring back its catalog?

A slightly lesser peeve is the rolls found in public restrooms.  I understand they do not want to have "clogging" issues, but the thinness of the paper combined with the locked security dispensers that make it difficult, if not impossible to find the end of the paper, usually means a pile of confetti on the floor before 3 usable squares are pulled off the roll.  And the minute those square are pulled the end of the paper sucks back to the roll and disappears.  Grrrrr!

And that's how I roll!

Winding Up to Ponder

The days sure are rolling by fast and here it is, time for Pondering with a Purpose again.  Pondering is the brainchild of Brenda Youngerman who came up with the idea as a way to inspire some creativity in our writing. Pondering takes place every Thursday and all there is to it is to take the prompt provided by Brenda and run with it.  You also link back to Brenda's blog and leave your link there for people to find your post.  Simple enough, eh?

Link

Before I get to this week's prompt, I want to share something exciting and Pondering related.  Last week we wrote about "leash."  I was contacted by someone with 4soils, which is a company that develops Christian apps for kids.  They wanted to feature my leash post on their blog.  I gave them the okay and this week I'm the featured blogger and my post is there!  Wow.  I kind of feel like I've arrived.  LOL  Please go check them and their great products out.

Okay, now on to.....

This week's prompt:  wind

Wind is never too far from my mind living where I do.  We certainly don't get tornadoes of the magnitude

A little windy?

Oklahoma does, but we do have tornadoes.  It's usually at least a little breezy here all of the time....sometimes it's just a little more than others.  Or a lot more.

A tornado in 1976 wiped out the house two down from us and the one right across the street from my mom.  That tornado was a "skipper", touching down on one house, jumping the next three, coming down on a whole row of houses....it just zipped through willy nilly.  Until my mom got new siding on her house last year, you could still see all the little pitted dents in the old aluminum siding caused by debris in the tornado, whenever the afternoon sun hit it.

Then there was the New Year's Eve the local airport clocked the winds at 100 mph.  We actually sat in the house that night and watched the walls move!  Talk about scary.

I bet you thought wind was wind, but a quick search showed there are all kinds....airstream, breeze, crosswind, dust devil, easterly, gale, gust, headwind, jet stream, mistral, monsoon, prevailing, sandstorm, sea breeze, sirocco, tailwind, tradewind, whirlwind, and zephyr to name a few.

We call people who are easy going and happy...breezy.

A task that was accomplished with ease was a breeze.

Most living creatures can and do break wind.

And then there are the folks who can talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and....well, you get the idea.  We call them long-winded....and before you accuse me of being one of them, I'm going to "wind" this up.

A Soggy Saturday Share

Good morning!  It's a soggy one here.  Some pretty good storms blew through last night and it's still a little bit...drizzly (spell check didn't underline that so it must be a real word!).

Dear daughter is working today.  She was not looking forward to it at all.  She works at a nursery/garden center.  Tomorrow is Mothers' Day.  Got the picture of what it will be like for her today?  Among other things, they have hundreds of gorgeous hanging baskets made up.  By the end of today most of them will be gone.  She already did her shopping.  My mom got one of those mentioned baskets and I got a gorgeous rose bush with flowers that are sort of a blend of orange and yellow.  So pretty and bright.

Hubby and I are not being too ambitious yet.  He will be going to work on the church pretty soon, though.  I need to get on the laundry, do some cleaning, and make something to take to church tonight.  I'm thinking I'll bake a dessert today.

Mom and her husband are back from the NRA convention by way of Branson, MO.  They liked the convention, of course.  They go every year no matter where it is.  They did say that everything at the show seemed to be geared to tactical weapons this year.  Hmmm....gearing up for a fight?  Lots of other vendors seemed to be missing, too, I guess.  Maybe it's just the economy?  About Branson.....let's just say they were not impressed and have no plans to ever go back.

I've got some good links for you today.  I hope you enjoy them.

~ You hear a lot about tattoos in the church these days, both pro and con.  Being a devout Christian with a tattoo, I probably get to hear more than those without.  There are always those who feel free to lecture me or at least let me know they think it's a sin.  I want to get at least one more...a matching mother/daughter one with my girl...but I've felt conflicted.  I don't necessarily believe getting inked is a sin, but worry about things like "does it affect my credibility?"  I've heard some pretty solid arguments against, the defense has been weaker.  Until now.  This article puts things in the right light, I think.

~ It would have been nice to have all the "tricks of the trade" bundled together in a book for easy reference back when I started blogging, but no such thing existed.  Of course, when I started blogging back in 2001 it was pretty basic.  Lucky you, if you're thinking of starting a blog there's a book to help you....and you veteran bloggers might learn something, too.

~ This post from the heart of sweet Ann Voskamp really blessed me this week.  I think it will bless you, too, as we celebrate mothers.

~ And here's a video that seems appropriate for a rainy day.

~ Last but not least, the Pinterest share of the week:

These lemon brownies sound awesome!
Perfect for summer, don't you think?
Find the link on my Cupcakes, Cakes & Cookies board.

Time for me to get busy, so I'm outta here.  You all have a great weekend!

A Post About Nothing...And A Bit Of Thankfulness

source

In the words of an I Can Has Cheesburger cat, "Writer's block....I has it."  I'm sitting here staring at the screen, hands on the keys....WAITING.  Waiting for what?  I don't know.  My muse to speak?  Lightning to strike?  A post to magically pop into my head?  Whatever, it's just not happening today.  So instead of an inspirational post I leave you with some funnies about writer's block and my continuing list of things I am grateful to God for.

See?  I told you.
source

Yep!
source

source

source

At least I've retained my sense of humor, right?  Right??

On to the counting....

61.  Good insurance and access to good health care.

62.  Sunroof open and music blasting on a warm Spring day.

63.  Lots of hours on the job for a daughter.

64.  The constant drone of lawnmowers and the smell of fresh cut onion grass.

65.  A flag, tattered and faded, but still waving proudly on the breeze.

66.  Medicine that seems to be helping...and in more than just the intended way.

67.  A hug from my mom before she left for vacation.

68.  Fuzzy socks on a cold, rainy day.

69.  A Savior who was not...bland, wimpy, or serenely untouchable...but alive and passionate and completely touchable.

70.  A phone conversation with my son!  It's a start.

 

Less Is More

Tuesdays (as of recently) have become multi-media day around the blog.  That means I could be posting just about anything as long as it's related to writing/blogging, computers, television, movies, music, books, cell phones....well, you get the idea.  Oh yeah, I've also decided Tuesdays are also for gratuitous flashes of Toby....just because I'm a fan.  Humor me, okay?

source

For far too long I've let the blog just drift a long and now I'm going all intentional on it (and you!).  In my head I know that it takes time to build a blog up, but my tender little heart is whining..."Where is everyone?  Why aren't they commenting?  Is my blog that bad?  Etc. etc. etc."  I'm still struggling to find the direction I want the blog to go, but I'm expecting hoards of visitors and fans.  Bwahahaha!  I am soooo funny.

Gratuitous Toby #1
source

In my search for blog help, I came across this post on 5 Common Blog Mistakes.

1. Ignoring social medias.
2. Not commenting on every blog you visit.
3. Over posting.
4. Publishing at the same time every time.
5. Writing in blocks.

Numbers 1 and 3...I'm good.  Number 2....depends on my mood, how much time I have, etc.  Number 4....yeah, that's me.  I do my blogging in the morning between bus runs.  Evenings always feel too late.  I'll have more flexibility this summer when school is out.  And number 5?  I am in really deep doo-doo.  I studied journalism and English.  I like words.  Words are my friends.  In return, I use LOTS of them.  I'll work on it.

Ultrabooks: thinnest, lightest laptops on the market.  Talk to me about them.  Does anyone have experience with them?  What brand do you have?  Are they as functional as a laptop?  If they are, I'm thinking that will be my next step in the computer world.  Any thoughts on the ones that convert from laptop to tablet?  Seems like a lot could go wrong there.  What kind of battery life do they have?

Gratuitous Toby #2....a song that you probably aren't familiar with unless you're a fan, but it's actually one of my favorites.

Blue Skies & Blue Hair

source

*Hmmm....wondering if today might not again bring us a storm that wasn't.  Looking out the window at the clear, blue sky and sunshine it's hard to believe it's supposed to start raining this afternoon, then turn into snow and drop anywhere from 3 inches to nearly a foot of snow on us (we're in that "iffy" zone between what everyone gets and what higher elevations get).  Well, at least I am prepared.  I did some grocery shopping this morning (we needed stuff, not because of the storm) and we have plenty of bread, eggs, milk and toilet paper!

*Bible study is cancelled tonight.  They actually made that call last night based on the forecast.  Boo!  I love my Bible study and friends.  Tuesday is my favorite night of the week.

*The Civic Club met last night.  If you've been following me for a while you might know that I am the president of that intrepid organization.  Much to my dismay.  There was a time when it was THE club to be in.  Everyone who was anyone was a member or wanted to be.  They raised bushels and bushels of money and contributed to so many worthwhile projects in the community.  That was what lured me in to membership after attending one of their fundraisers.  I was excited.  Now I know the reality.  In this day and age, women have too many other things to do.  They don't want to join a civic club and serve on committees.  They think it's a great idea and all, but they are just too busy.

I had my arm twisted became president my second year in the club and have served for two years.  I didn't want the job, but neither did anyone else and they begged and pleaded and promised all kinds of help.  What I ended up with in reality is a dinosaur lumbering toward extinction and not realizing the way is paved with banana peels.  I'm the youngest member of the club.  My mom is 20 years older than me and there is another woman I used to work with who is maybe 15 years older than me.  The rest of the women are in their mid-70s through their 90s.  The ones who promised to guide and help me have either dropped out or block me on everything (but we've always done it this way!).  They veto any ideas of fundraisers because none of them are up to it and don't think the three of us who are able-bodied can or should have to do it oursleves.  That means there are no new funds coming in.  I also have to deal with one lady who tries to micro manage everything I do and criticizes anything that doesn't go her way.

After a rather embarrassing meeting (3 city planners came to speak to 7 members) I told the ladies that while it was a sad thing after 93 years of service, I thought it was time to face the reality that the club is nearly dead.  The 7 who were there are the only ones physically able to be there and of them, I suspect we will lose another one or two in the coming year.  I expected a battle, but once I put it out there they seemed to agree and next month we will discuss the fate of the club and how to disburse the remaining funds.  What a relief!  I should be free of this albatross by the end of the summer.

*Plans continue to form for the direction of the blog.  No feedback on the names, though, people.  Take a look here and tell me what you think.

Aside from the name and look, I'm trying to come up with a blogging schedule...certain topics on certain days.  I can tell you that Tuesdays are going to be multi media days.  Movies, television, music, computers, tablets, cell phones, books, news....anything!

I'm also going to feature Gratuitous Toby Tuesdays where I share something about Toby Keith.  What can I say, he's my favorite country singer and my celebrity crush....way better than an undead, sparkly vampire. *wink-wink...to those who are fans.*  Enjoy his latest video on me.

Mixin' It Up on Monday

Here we are in the midst of another Monday.  It's a rather cold and snowy one here, but I'm feeling thankful that the roads are clear.  The road crews were out and on the job bright and early this morning.  Thanks, guys...you are my winter heroes!  Just remember to be out there tomorrow if/when the predicted snow storm hits.  Sounds like it's going to be a mess with some significant accumulation.  And God....if you could time it so that it either doesn't start until the kids are home or hits at the right time to call a cancellation, that would be awesome.



glitter-graphics.com


Still flying high here after a great weekend.  Tim was off on Friday (he's going to be working 4 10-hour days until work picks up) so in between my morning and afternoon bus runs I rode along with him to Home Depot to get some materials he needed at the church and we had an early lunch at Bob Evans.  Saturday Tim went to church with me.  It was the first time in quite a while.  Not only did he enjoy it, he was able to talk to and be friendly with the ones he was so upset with just a short time ago.  I don't know what happened at that breakfast with our pastor's husband and another friend, but Tim has a whole new outlook and attitude.  Thanks and praise to God!  Tim even went with me to the baptism service yesterday, which ended up taking most of the afternoon instead of just the hour or so expected....and again, he enjoyed himself.  He isn't, however, going to be attending Tuesday night Bible study with me like he'd promised.  I'm okay with that, though.....because while he was at church he heard the men talking about their Thursday night class that is starting this week.  It's a class to train men on how to be leaders at home and in the church.  Tim decided he'd rather do that.  I'm thrilled and so proud of him for turning his anger around so completely.


 
glitter-graphics.com


I've been doing a lot of thinking about the blog lately.  I've shared some of it in earlier posts.  I still want to shake up the look, but first I have to decide if I am going to keep the same name or change that, too.  I pitched out a couple of ideas here and to friends.  There wasn't much response to them.  I don't think I put my favorite idea on here....I thought of calling the blog Trailerhood: Tales from a Double-Wide Paradise.  I had cute ideas for each page.  The main blog would be The Front Porch, links to other blogs would be Socializin', archives would be Up On Blocks, Killin' & Grillin' would be about cooking, The Li'berry would be about books....  Well, you get the idea.  It's cute, but a friend and I wondered if it wasn't TOO cute and might be a real turn-off for anyone that didn't already know me.

So, I came up with a few more:

• Baggage Claim
• Notes to Self
• Set This Circus Down
• If I'm Over the Hill, Shouldn't the Pedaling Be Easier? 

Then this weekend on my Saturday Share post I gave the links to two of my former blogs that still exist out there in the blogosphere.  For some reason they didn't get deleted when their time was up.  I just thought they'd be fun to look at.  I ended up getting caught up in the one, though.  It was and still is probably my favorite of all time.  It was after the "church implosion" but I was seeking and growing and basically pretty happy with life.  It showed.  I was stunned as I sat reading to realize how different I am from the woman blogging back in 2006.  All I can say is a LOT of water has gone under the bridge in the last 6 or 7 years.  That blog was called The View From the Porch Swing and in my very first post I wrote this:

**** commented that this blog has a real "Mayberry feel" to it. Being the Mayberry devotee that he is, it doesn't surprise me that he picked up on where I'm hoping to head with this blog.....simple, hometown and friendly. I want it to be like a neighborly visit over the back fence or a hug from the older lady at church that's always glad to see you or a cold slice of watermelon on a summer day. Nothing exciting, just one of the things that makes life nice and puts a smile on your face. 

I succeeded.  That little blog that only lasted 6 months had that feel.  I felt good writing it and the people who visited it said it made them smile, too.  THAT is what I believe I want to recreate here.  I'm still thinking of names, but the one that is jumping out at me is A Mayberry Soul and there's a reason for that.  Also taken from the old blog:

A Mayberry Soul

Becky Freeman is one of my favorite Christian writers. Her light-hearted thoughts on serious matters so often reflect what's going on in my own head. Take for example her book, A View from the Porch Swing. I picked it up today, prompted by the recent changes in my blog, and started rereading it for the first time in several years. Opening those pages was like meeting up with a good friend I hadn't seen in a while and delighting in getting to know her again. It's too hot to visit on the porch this afternoon so ice-cold tea and the livingroom sofa had to do....

Becky: I was sharing with my mom the other day how I want to know how I can live out the rest of my days with a greater sense of laid-back joy.
Me: Holy cow! Stop the presses! That is exactly what I am looking for in my life. Did your mom offer any insight?
Becky: Well, she said she understood what I meant.
Me: Really?
Becky: Yeah. It surprised me, too. She said she was watching an old rerun of The Andy Griffith Show the other day and there was this scene where Barney and Andy were sitting on the front porch swing, chatting and chuckling and stopping here and there to sigh at the stars. She said something inside of her jumped and she thought, "We aren't doing enough sitting and swinging and shooting the breeze anymore."
Me: Wow. I understand that. It's peaceful. I want peace in my life. What do you want, Becky?
Becky: I want to swing on the porch, glide back and forth in an easy rapport with my husband and kids and friends. I want to prop one leg up, lie back, look at the stars - and shoot the breeze with the One who made them. I want to slow down, simplify - be at home in my own head. What I need is a Mayberry Soul!

A Mayberry Soul. I like that.

Are you tired? Worn out?...Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly. (From Jesus' invitation, Matt. 11:29,The Message)

I've even got ideas for blog design if I run with this.  What do you think?  Would you like to sit on the porch and visit with this Mayberry Soul?  Or is the Trailerhood (or something else entirely) more your style?

Talk to me!



glitter-graphics.com


And last, but not least on this snowy Monday....I've decided to start counting the things I have to be thankful for again this year.  I'm off to a late start and Ann Voskamp isn't doing 1000 Gifts link up on Mondays any more or at least not the same way so I'm just going to do it on my own on Mondays because I think it's a good idea.

1. A funny guinea pig video shared by a daughter.  Made me laugh.
2. A poodle who appears NOT to be in heat after all.  We thought she was yesterday based on how the male dog was acting...not a happy thought because she's already been spayed.  Today everyone is acting "normal."
3. Road crews who get out there at the butt-crack of dawn and clear the snow and salt the roads.
4. Seven people who got baptized yesterday!
5. Wedding soup for lunch.
6. Orders packed up and ready to deliver from my Thirty-One party.  Only thing on back order is mine.
7. Duck Dynasty!
8. Long-johns.....hey it's cold!
9. The promise of mild weather by the end of the week.
10. Cake with sprinkles IN it.

Pondering Going Nowhere

Brenda seems to be having trouble with her blog again.  I can't comment or link up over there to let her know.  I guess I can ponder on my own today and you can feel free to jump over and check out Brenda's blog if you want.

This week's prompt is:  stretch

Brenda asked if we stretch first thing in the morning.  That's a given.  I sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies and can barely move if I don't stretch and get the muscles and joints lubricated.  What other ways is there stretch in my life?

• I know a few people who stretch the truth.
• Calling me a Republican these days is a bit of a stretch, but that doesn't make me a Democrat.
• The big dog likes to stretch out in the bed...which means I can't.
• I like to stretch my mind and learn new things.
• It would be a stretch to call me domestic.
• In this miserable economy I'm getting pretty good at stretching a dollar.
• I'm not as opposed to jeans (or any other article of clothing) with a little stretch to them as I used to be.
• I like to stretch out in the recliner with my puppy and my laptop to watch TV...unfortunately, that's when I usually fall asleep and miss my programs.

I'm really stretching to think of anything else, so it's time to call it a day.

A Hodgepodge Within a Hodgepodge

So many things to get to today!  Where do I start?

How about with an update on the whole diet program?  Waste of time.  You get supplements, alright, three different kinds.  You get some kind of special aerated water, two gallons per week.  You get the good doctor's cell phone number so you can text him as much as you want.  You also get his email.  Then you get a recipe book of low calorie foods and a customized grocery list.....even though the ad said there was no "dieting."  I'm guessing they probably might want you to exercise, too.  Imagine that.

It sounds reasonable, right?  You're probably wondering why I'm not doing it.  Let me give you a reason.  Actually, let me give you 1700 reasons.  That is the cost ($1700) for 40 days.  There really isn't much if any cost to the diet stuff so you are basically paying the $1700 for the supplements and "counseling," which based on yesterday would be pretty weak.  There isn't a vitamin in the world worth $1700 unless it cures cancer or something.

I told Tim and he said we can check into joining a gym again.  That would be great, but only if he goes.  I get bored when I go alone.

**********

1. When were you last 'on a mountaintop'?  You may answer in the literal or figurative sense.~ Last on a mountain top......this area is mountainous so literally, I'm probably driving over one nearly every day.  Figuratively, the first lunch I had with my friend and bible teacher was one...so was front row at the Toby Keith concert...and the women's retreat last summer...and nearly every week at worship service.

2.  Do you establish and maintain a strict budget in your household?  What is one piece of financial advice you would offer someone just starting out on their own? 
~ Pfffffft....no budget here.  My advice to someone starting out....establish and maintain a budget.  If you don't know how...GET HELP.  It may not be fun, but one day when you're around 50 you'll be glad you did.  Trust me.

3.  Cherries-yay or nay?  Cherry pie, cherry cola, black forest cake, or a scoop ofBen and Jerry's Cherries Garcia...pick one. 
~ Yay!  I love to eat bing cherries and keep a bowl of them around when they are in season.  I don't like cherry pie or black forest cake all that much.  I do like vanilla ice cream with cherries in it, but I think I'd have to pick cherry cola as my favorite....that is real cherry cola made with cherry syrup at the soda fountain.  We can still get those at a couple of places around here.

4.  Should you ever discuss religion or politics with people you don't know? 
~ Probably not, but experience tells me....better with strangers than family and friends.  At least if you want to keep your family and friends.

5.  When you take a road trip do you prefer to be the driver or the passenger?  Where were you headed on your last road trip? 
~ Well, if I drive I won't fall asleep.  Riding in the car nearly always puts me to sleep at some point.  I'd rather be the passenger on a long trip, though.  You can't really look around as much when you're the driver.

6. If we peeked inside your closet, what color would we say is most prevalent?
~ Probably black, followed by red or orange and then blue.

7. Who's your favorite senior citizen and why are they special?
~ Betty White!  I don't always like how vulgar she is, but I sure admire her spunk and spirit.  I hope to be even half that spry when I'm 80, let alone 90!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

~ Having to go back to work in the bitter cold and snow after a 4-day weekend is just a cruel, cruel joke.

source

**********

And last but not least, I'm linking up with Dawn at Beneath the Surface today to kick off 7-week journey of discovery as we work our way through Rachel G. Hackenberg's devotional, Writing to God - 40 Days of Praying with My Pen.

Never heard of the book?  I hadn't either until this past weekend.  I hope Dawn and Rachel will forgive me as I borrow from Dawn's page, words from the publisher and a quote from Rachel.

About the Book From the Publishers Page: 

If you love to write, or if you need to spark your creativity, this book is for you.

Writing to God offers forty insightful days of prayer and personal reflection. With poems and thoughts to prompt your own prayers, Writing to God will inspire you when you feel dry, help you voice your deepest complaints and greatest joys, and surprise you with fresh perspectives on God. 

When verbal prayers feel stale, or you simply want to try something fresh, open this inviting guide and pray wherever the pen leads!

• Includes a special section of prayers and prompts for Holy Week and Easter.

• Includes some surprising prayers: Caffeine, A Lover's Psalm, Recycling: A Prayer for Salvation, Feeling a Prayer, Traveling, On "Good Friday" Kind of Days, and many more!

"Praying by writing takes a prayer out of my head and makes praying a whole-body exercise: my creativity is sparked, my spirit fully focused, my muscles employed, my sense of touch and awareness of breath heightened. I felt more connected to prayer than I had ever experienced before." –Rachel Hackenberg

I find Rachel's reflections inspiring, the scripture choices relevant, and the prompts a good focal point.  To share with you from Day 1: Caffeine here is the tail end of my prayer.

Breathe life, true, everlasting life into the farthest, deepest corners of my soul. 

Sweep through like the Spring winds, refreshing and clearing away dust, staleness, and darkness. 

Refresh my soul. Make me as excited as I once was. 

Create in me an endless hunger for you that I may FEAST on prayer and scripture. 

Fill my days and nights with the wonder of you, that you, 

my God in Heaven, would be all my soul requires to quicken and shout for joy!

I hope you will consider joining us.  How this little community we are creating over on Dawn's blog  is going to take shape is still somewhat up in the air.  It sounds like it will be a place for us all to share and encourage one another and be blessed by the things we are learning rather than a blog hop.  

Have a blessed day, my friends!

Three W's: Wind, Weight & Writing

source

Woo-weee is it windy out there this morning!  I can hear my wind chime's constant clamor, but more impressively...I can hear my mom's monster chime (it has big heavy 4' - 6' long pipes) clanking away.

*I should, in all honesty, disclose here that it's the rare day that we don't have a least a nice breeze going.  Wind seems to (in my mind's eye) swirl around in the river basin the town sits in, then shoot up the hills until it reaches the plateau we live on, where it SWEEPS across and then blows on up over the top of the ridge.  I rarely pay attention to it unless it tops 50 mph.  

Other than a tornado that ripped through the neighborhood in 1976, the worst sustained winds we've seen were back on New Year's Eve 1998.  Those were clocked at 100 mph!!  Everyone I ever talked to reported being able to sit in their house and watch the walls sway.  Now THAT was impressive.  And pretty scary.

~~~~~~~~~~

I have an appointment this afternoon at 4:00 for an intitial consultation about the NutriMost weight loss program.  It sounds too good to be true, but there are a few things that are keeping me from running for the hills.

1. The doctor is a chiropractor, which would normally scare me away.  However, my mom hooked up with a chiropractic nutritionist 20 years ago.  He totally changed her diet and (without exercise) she went from a size 18 to a size 9 in a little more than 6 months.  And she's kept it off.  A lot of the things he said back then that made the rest of us think he was a kook are now accepted mainstream thinking.
2. While I know there is more cost for the supplements and whatnot required for the program, this initial consultation and evaluation is only $27.  I can afford that much to check it out.
3. There is a money-back guarantee if you don't lose at least 20 pounds in the 40-day program.
4. The doctor is a Christian.

Tim is also pretty curious about what I find out.  It's no secret that the man doesn't feel good most of the time.  I've always attributed it to bad genes, poor sleep habits, too much work, and a crappy diet.  You can't do much about the genes except work to offset them...something he doesn't do.  The rest, however, there is hope for and this doctor also says he can give better health through his methods and most of it comes about by taking herbal and homeopathic formulas to reset certain bodily processes.  "Magic" pills are exactly what Tim is hoping (and searching) for.

Praying there is something to this.

~~~~~~~~~~

source

Beginning tomorrow I am starting a 40-day journey.  Possibly 2 now that I am thinking about it...if the diet program is legit.  The journey I want to introduce you to now, though, is a spiritual one.  I am going to be joining up with Dawn at Beneath The Surface and anyone else who joins us to spend the next 40 days Writing to God.  It's an exercise in writing our prayers out on paper.  

The book, available from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, is available in print edition and as an ebook for both Kindle and Nook.  Each day there is something to reflect on, scripture to read, and a writing prompt.

Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not going to put my written words to God up on the blog every day, but every Wednesday from tomorrow (Feb. 20) through Wednesday, March 3 I'll be meeting up with Dawn and the others on her blog to link up and share about what we are gaining from the process.

I hope you'll consider joining us.